FOLWEN by Thomas Rohrer+Philip Somervell

Thomas Rohrer rabeca, soprano saxophone, small speaker, objects
Philip Somervell piano, objects

The release of FOLWEN marks 10 years of our duo. Both our first release ('Rohrer/Somervell') in 2014 and FOLWEN in 2024 were recorded at the ‘Complexo Cultural Funarte’, a government arts centre in São Paulo. Funarte served as a place for us to meet regularly and play sessions with little monetary or time constraints, allowing the music to unfold over weeks and months and for ample experimentation.
A second phase in our activity came when access to Funarte became more restricted, and we were eventually able to access a new space in São Paulo, 'Associação Cultural Cachuera', which has a pipe organ. The duo, now with pipe organ replacing piano, hosted a series of public concerts, as well as continuing to meet and play privately. Visiting guests expanded the duo to a trio, including Hans Koch, Charlotte Hug, Andreas Trobollowitsch, Bella, and the dancer Marina Tenório.
The 2020 pandemic temporarily put an end to all gatherings and live music (as we all know) and Thomas then moved to Poschiavo, in his native Switzerland. As Funarte reopened, it once again became a place to meet and this recording was made there on one of Thomas’s recent return visits to São Paulo.
[Philip Somervell]

Thomas Rohrer has been consolidating a musical presence in Brazil for 25 years, moving between improvisation and Brazilian regional music. After a decade of activity with free improvisation in London, Philip Somervell arrived in São Paulo in 2014, after which the two began to collaborate, performing in Brazil and Chile, as well as releasing Rohrer/Somervell (Brava/Submarine, 2016), 45'28” (2017), Phoneuma (2018), Lixo Ideológico (Sê-lo, 2019) and FUOGN as a trio with Charlotte Hug (QTV, 2021). The duo maintains a presence in São Paulo, performing in various collaborations and interdisciplinary contexts. They can also be heard alongside other São Paulo collaborators on Rob Mazurek's 'Chants and Corners' (Clean Feed, 2016).

Tracklist

1.	sequitur	2:39

2.	campos elíseos	2:40

3.	diversão nas ruinas	4:38

4.	unart	8:55

5.	folwen	6:52

6.	filien	18:15

7.	felowen	3:49

8.	volewen	6:55

9.	folwien	10:20

Credits

released December 16, 2024

recorded in February 2024 at Complexo Cultural Funarte, in São Paulo, Brazil
mix and photograph by Philip Somervell

more here
rohrersomervell.bandcamp.com/music
qtvlabel.bandcamp.com/album/qtv052-f-u-o-g-n

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